Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-17

From the St. James Gazette
The memorial stonesof Q new chancel and tran.
septs to be added to the parish church Of Hucknan
Torkard, Motifs have just been laid by the Duke OF
Portland, who is patron Of the living; by Miss Lucy
Godber sister OF an unbeneiced local clergyman
who has contributed from his wealth literally to
the restoration OF the edince, and Miss jackson,
another munif1eent giver to the restoration fund.
r IN t vault anaerneatn me moor Of the chancel
genius whom NOttfnghamshire claims as her own,
although he was born in London. The possession
Torkard But the fact that byron is there inferred
attracts great many visitors TO the place, eS-
pecialiy foreigners and glance at the signatures
show what large proportion OF these are Amert-
cans An American tourist, alighting In the town
ana mourning ,, the wneeaooats OF byrons grave;
to the manner born" byron! ali niver 'eerd on
i'm. Yer means Ben Caunt-" The latter. nota-
adjoining churchyard, Which may easily be singled
out from among the rest by the beaten track worn
by many feet to the shrine or the lighting man.
ron vault untouched. fine chancei is to be moved
farther the east TO allow OF the Introduction OF
north and south transepts at the east end OF the
nave, and the only eject OF the alteration will be
that the tablet marking the spot where the bones
or the poet lie, instead OF being within the sacra-
rum viii be at the entrance to the chancei.
The mural monuments OF the second Lord Byron
and bis SIX sons, all stout rOyalistS in the great
civil war; the attachment OF the poets mother; the
",
Lady Loyelace. and the funeral achievement Of the
author OF "Childe Haroid's Pilgrimage painted
upon SILK win be regretted and replaced upon the
walls OF the new chancel in precisely the same
positions relatively TO Byron's tomb that which
they now occupy. The vault In which the re-
mains lie Is now bricked up, but there stili live
many who remember the time when It was the
practice Of former sexton OF the church TO lower
o lighted candle into the roughly built little
chamber and show the veivet-covered CONN.
ByrOn's remains rest upon an Old leaden CONN,
side by SIDE with these OF his mother and close by
lies his DIT lighter Augusta Ada, countess OF Love-
lace. who died In 1852. When the vault was
opened TO permit Of the tnterment OF Lady Love-
lace many persons visited the church to catch q
glimpse OF the coffin.
Upon one occasion a little girl was prevailed
upon to descend the narrow stone staircase into
the vault, and she returned carrying q narrow
strip OF faded velvet in her hand, torn from the
poets coffin. Among the group around the mouth
OF the grave was tail, dark foreigner, hoeageriy
finally, in exchange for O piece OF gold, received
the strip OF velvet. That man was KOesuth.
The vicar OF Hucknall Torkard has many inter-
esting stories to tell OF Byrons tomb, and In his
care are the remains OF many wreaths deposited
in the church by notabiiites one OF the most
fully preserved being bent piece Of twig which Is
all that represents floral Offering sent by Joaquin
Miller from America. The tablet let into the
chancel floor above the vault Is or R0ss0 An.
tiquo marble, block OF which was forwarded 20
England by the King OF the Helenes TO be FASH
Toned INTO memorials OF Byron. The simple in
scr1ptiOn is surrounded by q wreath Of laurel
wrought in::brass, the design and workmanship
being that OF Mr.. Richard Claude Belz.